Covenant Network gathers

Leaders agree to support 2-year study period, seek dialogue with Coalition

by Doug King
November, 1999

This year's Covenant Network Conference drew some 450 people to Central Presbyterian Church in Atlanta on November 4 - 6. In a sanctuary enlivened and solemnized by around 150 stoles from the "Shower of Stoles" project, the group shared in times of worship, and heard presentations from theologian Douglas John Hall and Auburn Seminary president Barbara Wheeler.

Participants offered varied reactions to the Network's support of another two years of "sabbatical," which means two more years with no change in the current strictures of G-6.0106b. Even more questions were raised about the notion of dialogue with the conservative groups involved in the Presbyterian Coalition. The Network leadership reaffirmed its "commitment to a fully inclusive church ... [and] the removal of G-6.0106b from the Book of Order ..."

There were significant shifts in the style of the gathering from the Denver meeting in November 1998. The presence of the stoles was one concrete image of the increased inclusion of gay and lesbian activists, including some roles in worship leadership. Some who were disturbed by what they perceived as the "patriarchal" style and language in last year's worship, expressed appreciation for this year's worship. Conference planners had clearly made an effort to respond to concerns expressed last year, by allowing time and space for more conversation around dinner tables and in reflection groups.

The two presentations by Dr. Hall, Emeritus Professor of Christian Theology at McGill University in Montreal, showed the possibilities for rethinking our Reformed tradition in light of new realities in our society and culture and the end of the millennium. Speaking on "Confessing Christ in a Post-Christian Context," Hall pointed to the important shift in our culture from the sense of guilt that is so familiar to so many of us, to the deep feelings of despair and hopelessness that are so dominant for many younger people today. He urged that we shift our theological thinking -- and preaching and teaching -- to offer hope in the face of this climate of despair.

This understanding of salvation as hope and meaning, rather than as a judicial "atonement" for guilt, leads to us to understand sexuality, he said, not as a matter of guilt but as a way of building meaning. We build meaning not as abstract concepts but in relationships; these relationships may be problematic in many ways, but they always elicit compassion as we share in the pains and ambiguities of life together. And this compassion is the very heart of the meaning of the Cross -- not as a sacrifice to a righteous God, and as the decisive statement of One who is with us unconditionally.

Barbara Wheeler spoke on "True Confession: A Presbyterian Dissenter Thinks about the Church." She urged the group to do two things: First, we must "Tell the truth" about our differences with the present policy of our church to bar gay and lesbian people from full participation in the church; that means taking part in the Unity and Diversity conferences that are planned, and speaking up on the issues that concern us. And second, we must "Stay put." "Separation from the Body of Christ," she said, "should be almost unthinkable." Rather, we must stay and work to change the position of our church, to try to begin to undo the harm we have done to gay and lesbian teenagers and many others. It seems clear that for Dr. Wheeler, there is a tension between these two imperatives, but her conclusion is that we must stay involved in the conversation for the foreseeable future.

For their own report on this conference, 
and the texts of the talks by Hall, 
Wheeler and others, 
click here to visit the Covenant Network web site.

GA actions ratified (or not) by  the presbyteries   

A number of the most important actions of the 219^th General Assembly have now been acted upon by the presbyteries, confirming most of them as amendments to the PC(USA) Book of Order.

We provided resources to help inform the reflection and debate, along with updates on the voting.

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